AI + ML

L’etat, c’est AI

OPINION The US government is reportedly weighing whether to take a financial stake in AI companies, which looks a bit like negotiating for a seat on the Titanic.

Neither OpenAI nor Anthropic, the marquee brands in US AI, are profitable yet. While Anthropic may be nearer to that point if its accounting survives scrutiny, OpenAI’s $1.4 trillion in financial commitments over the next eight years have been interpreted as a red flag for investors.

This raises (at least) two questions: Should the US government be picking winners? And should the US government be picking losers?

The first question appears already to have been decided. As noted by the US Council on Foreign Relations, since January 2025, the feds have invested $20.9 billion in sixteen deals that involve direct ownership. This represents a change from more hands-off financial arrangements involving grants, loans, and tax incentives.

The Department of Commerce, for example, has taken a 10 percent stake in Intel, once a symbol of American technical prowess and now a national security backstop. The Development Finance Corporation had invested in minerals, energy, and infrastructure. And the Department of Defense has undertaken at least seven similar deals.

Neoliberal US notions about competition and the separation of church, state, and private industry have succumbed to the new world disorder.

When economists from Harvard and Yale looked at the issue in a 2021 paper titled “The Dance Between Government and Private Investors: Public Entrepreneurial Finance around the Globe,” they were cautiously optimistic.

Authors Jessica Bai (Harvard), Shai Bernstein (Harvard), Abhishek Dev (Yale) and Josh Lerner (Harvard) looked at 755 entrepreneurial finance policies in 66 countries during the period from 1995 to 2019. They concluded that “government funding programs are associated with subsequent increases in innovation,” as measured by “top patents.”

They offered some caveats, such as the observation that “government programs frequently rely on private capital markets through capital matching requirements, where private capital groups are often allowed to invest in more preferential terms than the public funds.”

And they also noted that economists have long recommended government investment in response to market failures – areas where private funding has chosen not to invest, presumably due to the uncertainty of returns.

A recent example of that would be the US Commerce Department’s decision to invest $2 billion in quantum computing in exchange for a minority controlling stake in nine technology companies. Pure-play quantum computing companies like D-Wave, Quantinuum, IonQ, and Rigetti Computing are not making a profit. But concern that quantum computing might some day do meaningful computing not possible with classical computers is enough to keep the funds flowing for now.

The US government’s reported interest in AI companies might be interpreted in a similar light, as a bailout for companies that have committed to spend heavily on data centers before demand has been demonstrated and pricing has stabilized. With OpenAI and Anthropic preparing to go public, the White House would do better to wait before placing its bet.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is said to have pushed for federal investment last year but publicly repudiated the idea after CFO Sarah Friar suggested federal loan guarantees. If the feds were to buy into OpenAI, the deal might take the form of a public wealth fund – so the public would receive revenue from intellectual property that AI firms have captured and are reselling.

US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) last week said he planned to introduce a bill called the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act. Funded by a one-time 50 percent tax paid in AI company stock, it would give the public a say in how AI is used and a portion of the revenue generated by AI companies (which, again, follows from the largely uncompensated capture of public content).

Meanwhile, the White House last week issued an executive order directing “the national security enterprise to accelerate AI adoption to meet surging demand, adapt the best commercial and open-source technologies for mission use, assure that fielded systems are robust, steerable, controllable, and preserve clear lines of accountability under the Constitutional chain of command.” And the order promises “new partnerships with willing private-sector companies to secure America’s cutting-edge AI against global threats.”

Buying into these companies doesn’t make a lot of sense if they can deliver on their promises at a viable price. The market would ensure plenty of good options for federal procurement.

But if leading AI models are priced like Claude Mythos, reported to run $25 per million input tokens and $125 per million output tokens, or about 5x Opus 4.8, there may be some concern that leading edge AI will be too costly for much of the market. Uber’s $1,500 monthly token spending cap per employee AI tool suggests companies won’t reward the AI industry for over-investing. If cutting-edge AI is going to be priced out of reach for most industries and if it really can accomplish things that lesser models cannot, the case for federal involvement gets stronger.

It would be a shame if the feds rewarded OpenAI and its peers with taxpayer money because that would reward fiscal irresponsibility and hinder startups hoping to innovate. Worse still, it would commit funds prematurely and unnecessarily for some notional national security edge that’s razor thin and is being dulled by evolving open weight models and foreign model providers. 

The jury is still out – there are at least 115 lawsuits against AI companies – on whether there’s a broad, sustainable market for AI services outside of software development and perhaps a few other knowledge work markets. The government should wait for the courts, the public, and the market to weigh in before riding to the rescue. ®

Father’s Day 2026 lands on Sunday, June 21st, which means the annual scramble for “something Dad might actually use” has officially begun. Skip the novelty grill tools, team merch for a franchise he abandoned three seasons ago, and socks pretending to be a personality.

This year, we’re focused on hi-fi and home entertainment gifts that make sense: speakers, headphones, turntables, media players, and accessories that can improve how Dad listens to music, watches movies, streams shows, or disappears into the basement for two blessed hours of uninterrupted silence. Some are practical. Some are indulgent. A few might even make him stop pretending that the TV’s built-in speakers are “fine.”

Our Father’s Day 2026 hi-fi gift guide is built for dads who care about sound, picture quality, physical media, streaming, and gear that actually earns its shelf space. No filler. No mystery gadgets. No last-minute panic purchases from the aisle next to charcoal briquettes. Just audio and video products Dad will actually want, even if he is constitutionally incapable of saying so out loud.

Kaleidescape Strato E Movie Player

For the dad who loves movie night: bring the cinema home with Kaleidescape. Surprise him, and the whole family, with a Kaleidescape Strato E movie player. Kaleidescape’s entry-level 4K movie player features reference-quality video and lossless audio, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. With the world’s only high‑fidelity movie library, his favorite films, TV series and concerts can be curated into a personal collection and played instantly with the touch of a button. Since Kaleidescape movies are downloaded, not streamed, there is never buffering or degradation, delivering the ultimate entertainment experience. This Father’s Day, don’t just give a gift. Give an escape beyond cinema. 

$2,995 at Kaleidescape

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MartinLogan Motion Foundation B1 x Wiim Amp Bundle

Give Dad the gift of effortless high-fidelity this Father’s Day. Combining rich, high-fidelity sound with instant streaming like AirPlay 2, Google Cast and more, the Motion Foundation B1 x WiiM Amp Bundle is an elegant, easy-to-set-up audio solution that brings refined performance to his favorite space at a remarkable value.

$999.99 at MartinLogan

Audioengine B2 Home Music System

Give Dad the Father’s Day Gift that keeps up. The Audioengine B2 Home Music System (aka A2-AIO) delivers high-quality, room-filling sound in a portable design that fits anywhere. Enjoy wireless audio streaming with an industry-leading 100-foot Bluetooth range without compromising on quality so that he can bring his music from the grill to the man cave!

$199 at Amazon | Audioengine

IsoAcoustics Speaker Isolation

For the man whose system deserves the very best, GAIA Neo delivers our most advanced isolation yet, bringing greater Clarity and Focus with simplified installation and easy height adjustment.

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Learn more at IsoAcoustics

Paradigm Premier 820F v2

Elite audio shouldn’t be exclusive. This Father’s Day, drop the ultimate upgrade into Dad’s setup with the Paradigm Premier 820F v2. Packed with AL-MAC™ high-frequency tech and Carbon-X™ bass drivers, this premium wood-veneered powerhouse delivers near-reference sound and completely commands the room.

$2,599.98/pair at Paradigm

The Soundtrack of Life.

Music accompanies life’s most meaningful moments. It inspires, energizes, comforts, and connects us. Elegant in design, compact in size, and exceptional in performance, the Rotel DX-5 Integrated Amplifier was created to bring music back to center stage.

$1,699 at Crutchfield

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Focal Azurys & Hadenys Headphones

Give dad the gift of an exceptional listening experience with Focal headphones. Azurys ($499) delivers immersive closed-back performance perfect for music on the go, while Hadenys ($649) offers an open-back design with expansive, natural sound. Made in France, both are now available $100 off through June 30, 2026.

Denon DP-500BT Turntable

New for 2026, Denon’s premium semi-automatic belt-drive turntable will have Dad spinning vinyl all-day. And with built-in Bluetooth, it plays wirelessly to headphones or speakers for added versatility.

$899 at Crutchfield | Amazon

Anthem MRX 540 8K

Gift Dad the ultimate cinema ticket this Father’s Day. The Anthem MRX 540 8K A/V receiver acts as the powerhouse of his home theater, leveraging 7.2-channel processing and ARC Genesis room calibration to sculpt rich, captivating audio while 8K HDMI integration lets his favorite movies unfold in stunning detail.

$1,899.99 at Anthem

RSL Speedwoofer 10E

The RSL Speedwoofer 10E is one of those rare audio products that consistently exceeds expectations. It delivers a deep room-filling bass perfect for movies music and gaming while remaining easy to integrate into almost any system. Despite its approachable price the 10E impressively reaches down to 26Hz (±3dB) and is powered by a 300-watt amplifier with up to 800 watts of peak output when the action demands it. Backed by the reputation of RSL’s award-winning Speedwoofer lineup it’s a thoughtful upgrade that any audio enthusiast can appreciate.

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$339 $299 at RSL Speakers

Eero Pro Wi-Fi 7

Save Dad time with faster downloads for web browsing, games and movie streaming with eero’s latest Wi-Fi 7 router offering speeds up to 5 Gbps. Seamlessly link two or more in large homes for extended range to ensure fast speeds in every corner of the house.

$299.99 at Amazon

Need more gift giving ideas?

Disclosure: The products listed above are approved by our Editors, but may be requested by our sponsors. When links to buy are provided, we’ll direct you to the lowest price at time of publication. In doing so, eCoustics may earn a small commission from the associated retailer if purchased.

The uGreen NASync DXP4800 GT is a four-bay NAS with dual 10GbE networking that targets creators and small teams, and is an excellent mid-range NAS for Apple users.

uGreen has built out its NAS range quickly since entering the category. AppleInsider has covered uGreen NAS hardware before, including hands-on time with the NASync IDX6011 Pro.

The DXP4800 GT is a new branch of the lineup. uGreen frames the “GT” name around Grand Touring, pitching it as built for sustained performance over long sessions.

It is the first DXP model from uGreen to use an AMD processor rather than Intel. It also brings dual 10GbE networking and U.2 SSD support to the DXP family for the first time, at a low price, compared to some other models that support the technologies.

uGreen NASync DXP4800 GT review: Specifications

uGreen NASync DXP4800 GT review: Design

The DXP4800 GT uses a black chassis with a copper-toned front trim, in keeping with uGreen’s recent NAS styling. The four drive bays are accessed from the front, each with a numbered lockable tray.

The front panel also holds a power button, status LEDs, an SD card slot, a USB-C port, and a USB-A port. This makes quick media imports easy without reaching around the back.

uGreen NASync DXP4800 GT review: The front port selection.

It’s a network-attached storage device that sits on your desk. There’s not a lot else to say about design.

The unit is quiet, expandable, and sits on a desk. It’s not a work of art, but it doesn’t have to be. HIde it in a closet or in your basement if you don’t like how it looks on your desk.

That is the entire point of network-attached storage, after all. It’s on your network, and not on the desk whirring away next to your head.

uGreen NASync DXP4800 GT review: Storage

The four drive bays each support SATA drives up to 32TB. That alone allows a large array of up to 128TB before any other storage is added.

Two M.2 NVMe slots supplement the main bays. Each can take up to an 8TB NVMe stick, adding 16TB of capacity.

The M.2 slots run at PCIe Gen3 x2. This is a step below the Gen4 speeds found on some higher-end models, but is fine for SSD caching, which is their main purpose here.

uGreen NASync DXP4800 GT review: The main drive sleds.

uGreen lists a total maximum capacity of 144TB, combining spinning metal with the NVMe stick maximums. The drives can be configured in JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks), Basic, or RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, and 10, covering the full range from maximum speed to strong redundancy.

A 64GB eMMC chip handles the operating system separately from the main bays.

We tested the unit with four 2TB Seagate Red drives provided by uGreen. We also used four 24TB WD Red Pro, which now sell for about $900 per unit on Amazon. Ouch.

SSDs used for testing included a pair of Samsung 990 Evo Plus drives and a pair of Samsung SSD 9100 Pro 1TB drives. You don’t need to use drives this fast. Stick with PCI-E 3.0 drives if you have them, as they’re cheaper and still provide more than enough speed.

uGreen NASync DXP4800 GT review: M.2 slots and memory.

Your spinning metal drives can be formatted as Just a Bunch of Disks (JBOD) as well as RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, and RAID 10. This gives users a lot of options, depending on whether they want to prioritize speed of access or the security of their data.

The UGOS Pro operating system allows users to add more drives to an existing RAID, which is nice. It takes time, and expect this to take a very long time, sometimes days, in the case of RAID 5.

uGreen NASync DXP4800 GT review: Connectivity

The headline feature is dual 10GbE networking. uGreen describes this as up to 4x faster than the more common 2.5GbE found on many consumer NAS devices.

It’s not in the real world, but it’s close enough to say that it is. In actual day-to-day use, the unit will deliver speeds consistent with your network.

For instance, on your gigabit network, expect to see the maximum you’ve ever seen from one device. The same goes for your 10-Gig network. Your mileage may vary, depending on your networking tree, and so forth.

uGreen NASync DXP4800 GT review: The full rear view.

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Used together, the two ports can serve multiple devices at high speed at once. uGreen positions this around network editing and managing several security camera feeds.

For most homes, 10-gigabit networking needs a compatible router or switch, which is not yet standard. This feature is aimed more at creative teams and prosumers with the infrastructure to use it.

And there’s a cost associated. Wi-Fi 7 routers with 10 gigabit ports are cheaper than they were when we first started reviewing network-attached storage devices, for just hundreds per, rather than a thousand. Google Fiber, or whatever it call itself now, provides a 10-gig router with your monthly fee for no cost.

But then there are switches to consider. A network switch with just a handful of ports is at least $100, and can get expensive.

The rear carries two USB-A 3.2 Gen2 ports, two USB-A 2.0 ports, and an HDMI output at 4K and 60Hz. The front adds a USB-C 3.2 Gen2 port and the SD 3.0 card slot.

There’s nothing remarkable to say here. These ports are used for expansion and data ingestion. They work as well as you’d expect.

The HDMI is nice, because it goes beyond setup. Using the included Player app, you can store your own media on the device and play it locally. It’s a fun extra feature.

uGreen NASync DXP4800 GT review: Processor and performance

The DXP4800 GT runs the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2514. It is a four-core, eight-thread chip rated up to 3.7GHz, and uGreen describes it as built for 24/7 use.

This is the first DXP model to use AMD rather than Intel. uGreen’s own figures claim a 26% performance gain over the chip in the standard DXP4800.

It feels fast enough. It’s not as fast as the uGreen NAsync iDX6011 Pro, but that unit costs more than three times as much as this one does.

Listings using the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2514 on Geekbench puts the single-core score at around 1,100. For multi-core, the score generally varies between 2,200 and 3,100.

For comparison’s sake, this is about the same single-core speed as the last of the Intel Macs. Multi-core is about the same as an Intel Mac from about 2016.

So, in 2026, this isn’t a great score for a computer. For network storage, it’s pretty good.

The system ships with 8GB of DDR4 memory. It can be expanded to 64GB across two slots, which is useful headroom for running multiple Docker containers or heavier workloads.

It’s running on UGOS Pro as an operating system, which works decently enough after a few years of development at this point. I’d say it’s about 90% of Synology’s offering in this respect.

While it once wasn’t, UGOS Pro is easy to set up, easy to manage, and easy to control access.

For typical NAS tasks like file serving, media streaming, and Docker apps, the R2514 is more than capable with no RAM upgrade.

If you need it for backups, there’s support for Time Machine, though it’s not immediately usable. We’re not going to get into the procedure here, but uGreen has a video about it. The support document is a bit better, though.

uGreen NASync DXP4800 GT review: The rear port selection.

Setup lacks the simplicity of the Time Capsule. The speed of the backup and restore will be far slower than a directly-connected storage device, just like that Time Capsule. It does, however, still work well in this regard.

The onboard software options for other tasks are what you’d expect from a typical NAS. You have your private image album library system, your video storage and playback tools, and other productivity-centric items.

If you’re into downloading large files legitimately via Bittorrent, there’s a tool built in for just that, but you can install more if you want.

A notable addition is the new Surveillance Center app in the latest UGOS Pro. It connects to ONVIF-standard IP cameras on the network for live viewing, local recording, playback, and event monitoring.

ONVIF is an open standard that lets security cameras from different brands work with third-party software. This means the DXP4800 GT can act as a local recording hub for a mixed set of cameras.

For Apple users, storing camera footage and photos locally keeps that data off cloud services. It is a privacy advantage over subscription-based camera and storage plans, but what it is not, is HomeKit Video.

We started testing with our normal Docker assembly and hit that 8GB RAM limit fast. If you’re doing a lot of Docker or virtual machines, get more RAM.

In mid-2026, that’s going to hurt, but so is storage. Might as well.

Yes, you can put Plex on there, and there’s full hardware-accelerated 4K transcoding on tap. It can even handle concurrent 4K streams, in both direct play and transcoded formats, so long as you have enough clients and network bandwidth.

I do have enough clients and network bandwidth. I tested this, and on a 10-gigabit wired network, I hit six 4K60 HDR streams to Apple TV units, using Infuse as the playback app, and direct streams without transcoding. I managed five when transcoding, which is still incredible.

There’s been a lot of strange chatter about a piece of hardware assembled in China, somehow being a spy box for the company, China, or in one particularly paranoid thread I read, the global illuminati. That was a fun one.

I can confirm that it does periodically phone home to check update status. That’s it.

If your concerns go past mine, install other network operating systems, like a full Debian install, TrueNAS, Unraid, or Proxmox. Then, there’s no chance at all

uGreen NASync DXP4800 GT review: A fast NAS for the subscription-averse

The DXP4800 GT makes a clear pitch. Dual 10GbE, AMD processing, and 144TB of capacity target creators and small teams who move large files and want to avoid cloud fees.

The dual 10GbE networking and U.2-class SSD support are the features most likely to matter to that audience. Both are upgrades over the standard DXP4800.

At $659.99, it is priced as a serious tool rather than a casual home purchase. The no-subscription angle is part of the value case, since cloud storage and camera plans add up over time.

For Apple households, UGOS Pro’s Time Machine support and macOS compatibility make it a workable fit. A 10-gigabit-capable Mac or switch would be needed to get the most from its networking.

uGreen NASync DXP4800 GT Pros

• Dual 10GbE networking
• AMD Ryzen processing with 64GB RAM headroom
• No subscription fees for storage or camera management

uGreen NASync DXP4800 GT Cons

• 10GbE needs compatible network gear to use
• M.2 slots limited to PCIe Gen3 x2
• UGOS Pro still trails Synology’s software

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Scores are terrible. As always, thanks to Google for effectively making them mandatory. I waffled between 4 and 4.5 for this unit for the longest time.

But ultimately, I settled on 4.5.

Overall, it’s a cost-effective mid-range NAS, with a great deal of usage out of the box. And, if you delve further, there’s a lot you can do to make it better, with an SSD or two, more RAM, or even an operating system brain transplant.

It could use more RAM if you get heavily into Docker or the like, but it’s good that there’s not a massive price premium for more out of the gate.

Where to buy the uGreen NASync DXP4800 GT

The uGreen NAS DXP4800 GT is available from Amazon, priced at $659.99.

In a nutshell: This year’s iOS, iPadOS, and macOS updates mark the beginning of Apple’s long-awaited response to the generative AI offerings from its rivals. The Cupertino-based company also used the opportunity to address growing concerns about child safety on mobile devices, refine its controversial Liquid Glass design language, and introduce performance improvements across its platforms.

Early testing is now available for iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27, and visionOS 27. The updates, which bring generative AI features to Apple devices and strengthen child-safety controls, will enter public beta testing next month before launching this fall.

All supported Apple devices receive a revamped Siri experience that serves as the centerpiece of the company’s new generative AI platform. Siri can describe what it sees on screen, locate photos based on user descriptions, search the web for information, draft documents, and perform tasks across multiple apps.

Conversations are encrypted and stored in iCloud, allowing users to seamlessly continue interactions across Apple devices. However, it remains unclear how Apple has addressed the hallucination issues commonly associated with generative AI systems.

Apple Intelligence can also edit photos, generate images, surface relevant information during calls, organize email, create AI-generated shortcuts, and quickly update saved passwords. However, certain cloud-dependent features will be subject to daily usage limits, which users can remove with an iCloud+ subscription.

New child account controls give parents greater oversight of the apps, websites, and other content their children can access. Parents can also manage screen time and monitor purchases through a more intuitive interface.

Following criticism of the Liquid Glass design language introduced last year, Apple is adding an opacity slider that allows users to adjust transparency levels for improved readability.

The company has also promised performance improvements across its platforms. According to Apple, apps will launch up to 30% faster, new photos will save up to 70% faster, and AirDrop transfers will be up to 80% faster.

Furthermore, iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 can switch between Wi-Fi and cellular networks more quickly and seamlessly, helping users stay connected while traveling. Additionally, an optimized CPU scheduler improves performance through a new approach to task prioritization, particularly on older devices.

Alongside these changes, macOS 27 adds improved support for ultrawide displays at resolutions of up to 5K and refresh rates of up to 120Hz. Mac users can also switch seamlessly between audio and video podcasts. Meanwhile, AirPods gain custom equalization settings, while watchOS 27 introduces custom Wallet passes that support any membership QR code or barcode.

iOS 27 supports the iPhone 11 and newer models, maintaining compatibility with every device that supported iOS 26.

Marking the end of support for Intel-based Macs, macOS 27 is compatible with MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models from 2020 or later, the 2021 iMac and newer, the 2020 Mac mini and newer, the 2022 Mac Studio and newer, and the 2023 Mac Pro.

iPadOS 27 supports the M4 iPad Pro and newer models, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (4th generation and later), the 11-inch iPad Pro (2nd generation and later), the 13-inch and 11-inch iPad Air models powered by M2 chips or newer, the iPad Air (4th generation and later), the A16-powered iPad, the standard iPad (9th generation and later), and the iPad mini (6th generation and later), including the A17 Pro model.

This year’s Apple Watch update supports the Apple Watch SE 3, Series 10, Series 11, Ultra 2, and Ultra 3.

PhysicsX has its headquarters in London, with an additional office in New York, and a presence in California’s Bay Area and Singapore.

PhysicsX, an AI company for industrials, has announced an oversubscribed $300m Series C financing round that brings the approximate value of the organisation to around $2.4bn. 

The round was led by Temasek, with participation from additional investors such as M&G Investments, Intrepid Growth Partners, Applied Materials, Atomico, General Catalyst, July Fund, NGP, Nvidia, Radius and Siemens.

PhysicsX has its headquarters in London, with an additional office in New York, and a presence in California’s Bay Area and Singapore. The company aims to deliver deep physics AI enablement across the engineering life cycle, working with organisations in the areas of aerospace, defence, automotives, semiconductors, materials, energy and renewables.

To meet growing demand, the company has doubled its team in the last 12 months to more than 300 people. There are plans, the company said, to further accelerate growth with the expansion of its platform capabilities and research, including the development of larger, more powerful pre-trained physics AI models, known as ‘large physics models’.

Commenting on the announcement, Jacomo Corbo, the co-founder and CEO of PhysicsX, said, “Almost every hard problem in the physical economy – better aircraft, better chips, better engines, better energy systems – comes down to how fast and how well engineers and machine operators can work through the underlying physics. 

“For decades, that has been the binding constraint on hardware innovation. Physics AI removes it. We are giving engineers the ability to explore thousands of designs where they once managed a handful, in seconds rather than weeks, across the most demanding industries in the world.” 

He added, “We are also enabling more reliable, more efficient and altogether new ways of doing engineering, manufacturing and production. This financing lets us put that capability in the hands of more engineers and push the frontier toward ever larger and more capable large physics models.”

Don’t miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.

At its Games Showcase yesterday, Xbox unveiled Halo Campaign Evolved, which effectively rebuilds the 2001 campaign from the first Halo game from the ground up as an accurate remake with major added content. Players step back into the shoes of the Master Chief for the first ten missions on Alpha Halo, which have been updated with sharper visuals, new cinematics, streamlined controls, and better level flow.

A entirely new three-mission story arc called Operation Meteorite picks up the pace shortly before the classic campaign begins. Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson team up for a stealthy UNSC strike on a Covenant research ship, and what appears to be a routine raid suddenly turns into much more, with Brute Berserkers, new maps, and new armaments acquired from around the Halo world. Add in award-winning novelist Troy Denning, and a companion short tale titled Halo Hungry Buzzards lays the groundwork for the upcoming story.

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The Halo Studios development team used Unreal Engine 5, giving the regions we know and love from the previous game a major polish, making them look and feel more beautiful than ever, while preserving the sense of scale and mystery that defined the first encounter with the ringworld. Refreshed sequences include all-new motion capture and new speech from your favorite cast members. We recently saw footage of the game operating on the PS5 Pro, which served as a nice reminder of the game’s cross-platform nature.

Gameplay is getting a nice boost without sacrificing the basic gameplay players are familiar with. Nine more weapons have been added to the original list, giving you even more ways to fight. Vehicles have also been updated; you may now hijack and drive a Wraith tank, and the Warthog now has room for one more buddy in the back, making co-op play easier. The sound design has been totally overhauled, and the music has been redone to make it feel even more epic.

Skulls return in greater numbers than any previous Halo campaign. Optional modifiers can have a substantial impact on weaponry, enemy placements, the player’s abilities, and the environment. They’re a significant draw for people who do solo runs or team up in multiplayer, and campaign replays will keep you coming back. Players can join online for co-op play with up to four other players, with seamless cross-play and shared progression available on Xbox Series X and S, PC, and PlayStation 5. On consoles, you can also play with a friend in a local 2-player split screen mode. This patch excludes competitive multiplayer modes. The entire focus is on creating an refined campaign experience.

The game will be available globally on July 28th at 8am PDT, however in some Asia-Pacific locations, you may have to wait until July 29th. Premium versions have a 5-day head start on July 23rd. If you own an Xbox or a PC, you can utilize the Xbox Play Anywhere function to smoothly switch between the two without paying more. The regular version costs $49.99 and includes both the complete campaign and the bonus missions.

The premium edition costs $69.99 and includes an extra 5 days of early access, an armory pack with extra armor and weapon skins, a digital artbook, and a story collection. The Collector’s Edition costs $199.99 and includes the armory pack, the artbook, the story collection, a 12″ Dark Horse Master Chief statue, a light-up Cortana chip, steelbook case, physical art prints, a fancy new manual, and a game disc.

Sumesh Sasidharan of the Faculty of Medicine at Aix-Marseille University explores how transformations in medtech may not impact all patients equally.

AI-powered digital twin technology could transform how doctors understand and treat heart disease. But if the medical data used to build these virtual models overlook biological differences between women and men, the promise of truly personalised medicine may remain incomplete.

Artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape how doctors study and treat heart disease. One of the most ambitious ideas is the ‘digital twin’, a computer model built from a patient’s medical data that allows researchers to simulate how a disease might develop and how treatments might work.

In cardiology, these models combine medical imaging, clinical records and biological data to create a virtual version of the heart. In the future, doctors could potentially test treatment strategies on this digital model before applying them to the patient.

But an important scientific question is emerging: What if the medical data used to build these models are missing important biological differences between women and men?

As digital health technologies move closer to clinical practice, ensuring these tools reflect the full diversity of human biology is becoming increasingly important.

In our research at Aix Marseille University on patient-specific computational models of inflammatory heart disease (MYOCAR3 funded by Civis Alliance), we are beginning to see how differences in immune responses between women and men could influence how these diseases develop and how they might appear in future digital models.

The promise of digital twins in heart medicine

Digital twins are attracting growing attention across Europe as a way to advance precision medicine.

Instead of treating patients based on average responses observed in large populations, researchers hope to build personalised models that capture the unique biological characteristics of each individual. Several European initiatives are exploring this approach.

The European Virtual Human Twin Initiative, supported by the European Commission, aims to accelerate the development of digital twin technologies for healthcare. Other projects, such as SimCardioTest, focus on building patient-specific cardiovascular models to improve diagnosis and treatment planning.

These efforts bring together engineers, clinicians and data scientists to better understand complex heart diseases. But the success of these models depends heavily on one crucial factor: the quality and representativeness of the data used to build them.

When medical data fails to represent everyone

Over the past decade, researchers have increasingly recognised that biomedical research has sometimes treated male biology as the default.

A widely cited analysis published in Nature reported that male animals historically outnumbered females by roughly five to one in many preclinical studies.

In cardiovascular medicine, this imbalance matters.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for nearly 18 million deaths each year, according to the World Health Organization.

Yet heart disease does not affect women and men in exactly the same way. Symptoms, disease mechanisms and responses to treatment can differ.

Inflammatory heart disease provides a striking example. Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, can occur after viral infections and, in rare cases, after vaccination.

Global estimates suggest that myocarditis affects around 1.8 million people each year and occurs two to four times more frequently in men than in women, particularly among young adults.

Research published in journals such as Circulation suggests that these differences may be linked to variations in immune responses, hormonal influences and cardiac tissue biology.

For scientists developing digital heart models, this raises an important question: if datasets do not fully capture these biological differences, can digital twins accurately reproduce how the disease behaves in different patients?

From sex differences to gender-sensitive medicine

These concerns are part of a broader shift in biomedical research towards what is known as sex and gender-sensitive medicine.

This emerging field recognises that both biological sex and sociocultural gender factors influence health, disease progression and responses to treatment.

Researchers are increasingly working to integrate these dimensions into medical research, clinical practice and healthcare education.

For example, the University Hospital Zurich Heart Center has developed consultations dedicated to gender-sensitive cardiology. Researchers analyse international datasets, identify patterns across large patient cohorts and generate new clinical data to better understand how sex and gender influence cardiovascular disease.

At the same time, European scientific collaborations are working to strengthen how sex differences are considered in research.

The European Initiative COST Action EU-SABV is the first Europe-wide effort that focuses on improving how “sex as a biological variable” is integrated into biomedical research, helping ensure studies produce findings that are both rigorous and relevant for diverse patient populations.

Together, these efforts aim to generate better data sets, the essential foundation for reliable digital health technologies.

Building better digital medicine

Digital twins represent one of the most exciting frontiers in cardiovascular medicine. In the future, these models could allow doctors to simulate disease progression, test therapies virtually and tailor treatments to individual patients.

But the promise of digital medicine ultimately depends on the data that shape these models.

If those data fail to reflect biological differences between women and men, even the most advanced algorithms may miss part of the picture.

Ensuring that digital twins reflect the full diversity of human biology will, therefore, be essential. Only then can these technologies fulfil their promise of truly personalised medicine, not for an ‘average’ patient, but for every patient.

Sumesh Sasidharan

Sumesh Sasidharan is a biomedical engineer and senior researcher at Aix-Marseille University‘s Faculty of Medicine and a CIVIS3i Laureate, funded by the European Union. He was ranked among the top selected candidates globally and is the first Indian researcher to receive this prestigious fellowship. His research focuses on developing patient-specific computational models and digital twin frameworks for inflammatory heart diseases, with particular emphasis on acute myocarditis and immune-mediated cardiotoxicity. 

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K-12 education is navigating an AI landscape that is shifting faster than most school policies can keep up, and teachers are getting caught in the middle. Join us on This Week with EdSurge where we look at new data on where ed tech decision makers actually stand on AI adoption, and hear from a leading expert on what it would take to bring educators meaningfully into the conversation.

Districts Are All In on AI, But Their Budgets Are Not.

A new report suggests that districts are moving on AI faster than many expected, but the infrastructure needed to do it responsibly is struggling to keep up. EdSurge reporter Lauren Coffey digs into the latest CoSN State of Ed Tech report, which finds that three-quarters of districts now have AI guidelines in place, a notable jump from just a year ago. The same report, however, surfaces a harder question: as schools move faster, who is making sure the tools and systems they are building on are actually secure, accessible, and ready?

82 Percent of Teachers Have Received No Formal AI Guidance. Here’s Why.

A new survey from Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation finds that the vast majority of teachers have not received formal guidance on how to use AI in their work, and about a third have gotten none. Joseph South, Chief Innovation Officer at ISTE+ASCD, joins the show to unpack what is driving the disconnect and what schools can do about it. South points to a combination of factors: AI was not part of most teacher preparation programs, administrators are hesitant to lead with something they do not fully understand yet, and schools are already stretched thin. Two districts are starting to show what is possible, and South thinks the path forward is more accessible than most administrators assume.

The districts getting this right have a head start. Find out what they are doing and whether yours can do the same. Listen to the episode.

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Stay informed, stay curious.

“Nostalgia becomes dangerous if it prevents a business from improving,” says 3rd-gen director Alvin Say

There are restaurants you eat at, and restaurants you grow up in. Jack’s Place, for many Singaporeans, is firmly the latter.

Most Singaporeans would recognise its green-and-white checkered tablecloths anywhere. You might even remember the sizzle of a steak arriving at your table, or servers weaving between diners with gravy boats in hand.

This year, the homegrown chain celebrates its 60th anniversary. Any restaurant that survives six decades is remarkable. One that remains emotionally meaningful across multiple generations is something else entirely.

Vulcan Post spoke with Alvin Say, third-generation owner at Jack’s Place, about the brand’s evolution over the decades.

A cook boy’s unlikely inheritance

The Jack’s Place story begins with an immigrant who arrived with little and built something lasting through sheer grit and skill.

Say Lip Hai came from Hainan and found work as a cook boy for British troops stationed in Sembawang, where he learned the foundations of Western cooking—roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, rich gravies, the rhythms of classic British-style dining.

By the 1960s, he was running his own venture, Cola Restaurant, when a chance encounter changed everything.

A British housewife, impressed by his food, introduced him to her husband, Jack Hunt, who owned a pub and restaurant called Jack’s Place along Killiney Road. Lip Hai was invited to manage the catering and restaurant operations.

When Jack eventually returned to England in 1974, he sold the business to Lip Hai for S$28,000.

As the new owner, Say began reshaping the business. The pub gradually gave way to a restaurant, and while it initially leaned towards Italian influences, other culinary traditions soon found their way onto the menu. French cuisine, in particular, left a lasting mark.

In its early years, the restaurant’s S$3.80 set lunches became a hit with oil rig workers and office employees along Orchard Road. Lip Hai, committed to using fresh ingredients, would personally head to the market each morning on his Vespa to source supplies.

The restaurant’s 60-seater outlet at Killiney Road quickly outgrew itself. In 1977, Lip Hai opened a second outlet at the former Yen San Building. When queues formed at Killiney, he would even ferry waiting customers to the new location down the road.

Jack’s Place also doubled as a lively watering hole in those years. The bar counter was often packed, and Lip Hai would order whiskey by the hundred. Though closing time was officially 11PM, service frequently ran late to accommodate late-night regulars.

Jack’s Place had over 15 outlets at its peak

As Singapore’s HDB new towns expanded in the 1980s and ’90s, Jack’s Place followed suit. Its first heartland outlet opened in Ang Mo Kio and remains the brand’s oldest outlet today.

The restaurant’s positioning was deliberate: dependable, familiar, and welcoming.

Back then, Western dining still carried an air of novelty and occasion. Jack’s Place wanted to create a space that didn’t feel intimidating or exclusive—a place where ordinary families could enjoy a Western meal comfortably.

At its peak, the chain operated more than 15 outlets across the island, becoming a familiar presence in neighbourhood malls and town centres.

In 2008, the family formalised its business under a corporate umbrella, JP Pepperdine Group. Alongside the flagship Jack’s Place steakhouse brand, the group expanded its portfolio with Eatzi Gourmet, a halal-certified arm that spans steakhouses and a catering division.

A family business across generations

Today, the business is managed by the second and third generations of Lip Hai’s family, alongside a team of long-serving professionals.

Alvin frames his role as stewardship rather than ownership. “We see ourselves less as owners and more as stewards of the brand,” he says. “Every generation has a responsibility to protect what people love about Jack’s Place, while making sure it stays relevant for the next generation of diners.”

That stewardship comes with its own tensions. Members of the third generation were encouraged to gain experience elsewhere before returning to the family business—a deliberate choice to ensure fresh perspectives.

You are not just managing a company. You are managing something tied to your family history and identity.

Alvin Say, Director of Jack’s Place, JP Pepperdine Group

When generational disagreements arise, the tie-breaker is always the same question: what is genuinely better for the customer?

As Jack’s Place is often associated with nostalgia, Alvin takes a measured view when asked whether it is an asset or a liability.

 “It can be both,” he said. “Nostalgia is valuable because it creates emotional trust that newer brands cannot easily replicate, but it becomes dangerous if it prevents a business from improving.”

“We don’t want to become a brand that people only remember fondly from the past. We want to remain part of people’s present-day lives as well.”

That tension between preserving heritage and avoiding stagnation is one Jack’s Place has had to navigate carefully.

Some elements of the menu have remained largely unchanged for decades: sizzling steaks on cow-shaped hotplates, lobster bisque, baked potatoes. These are not just signature dishes; they are emotional touchpoints. Change them too much, and you risk erasing the memories that bring customers back.

At the same time, dining habits have shifted significantly. Today’s customers are more health-conscious, more visually driven, and far more attuned to global food trends.

They are no longer comparing Jack’s Place only with other steakhouses, but with cafés, lifestyle concepts, and a wave of well-capitalised overseas brands—particularly from China—that have entered Singapore with aggressive pricing and polished social media playbooks.

“Many of these brands move very quickly,” Alvin observes. “They operate with strong capital backing and are highly aggressive in pricing, marketing, and expansion.”

Playing the long game

To keep up with Singapore’s challenging F&B industry, operations have changed significantly behind the scenes, from technology and food safety systems to supply chain management and central kitchen support.

While continuing to protect the classics, the brand has also gradually introduced newer ideas and offerings to appeal to today’s diners.

COVID-19 was a defining moment of reinvention. With dining rooms closed, Jack’s Place had to pivot its entire business toward delivery and ready-to-eat meals almost overnight.

“It forced us to accelerate a decade’s worth of digital transformation into a few months,” Alvin shared. The shift was painful, but it proved the organisation could move faster than it had believed.

Historically, the brand has also weathered multiple economic downturns by staying lean and anchored to its core identity as a value-for-money family destination.

Part of Jack’s Place’s longevity, Alvin said, is not accidental. It comes from taking a long-term view.

While the chain operates around 12 outlets today, down from a peak of more than 15, growth is no longer defined by outlet count.

Instead, the focus has shifted to something harder to measure: strengthening the experience, improving consistency, and earning relevance with a new generation of diners who did not grow up eating their first steak at Jack’s Place—but who might, given the right reason to walk through the door.

• Find out more about Jack’s Place here.
• Read other articles we’ve written on Singaporean businesses here.

Featured Image Credit: Jack’s Place/ rainbows via Trip.com